Iran, Uzbekistan step up transport cooperation to boost regional trade, transit
Iran and Uzbekistan are working to expand rail and road transport cooperation, improve transit flows and strengthen logistics and trade ties through regional corridors, with Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadeq calling for the implementation of previous agreements and closer coordination during talks with her Uzbek counterpart in Tashkent.
Sadeq met Uzbek Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov in Tashkent on Thursday to discuss ways to expand bilateral transport and transit cooperation, with both sides stressing the need to remove obstacles and facilitate trade and transit along regional routes, IRNA reported.
Bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $280 million in the first five months of the current Iranian year, which began on March 21, according to Rahmatollah Khormali, Iran’s commercial attaché in Uzbekistan.
Sadeq described her visit to Tashkent and talks with Uzbek officials as reflecting the strategic importance of political, economic, transport and transit relations between the two countries.
Referring to her previous talks with Makhkamov on the sidelines of the 14th meeting of transport ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Astana, Kazakhstan, she called for continued efforts to follow up on the agreements reached and put them into practice.
Describing bilateral cooperation in road, air and rail transport as positive, Sadeq proposed holding a trilateral railway meeting involving Iran, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to improve coordination and accelerate rail cooperation among the three countries.
She also highlighted the potential of both countries in logistics and transit, describing Iran’s northern and southern ports as valuable assets for expanding regional trade.
Sadeq said the imminent connection of the southeastern port of Chabahar to Iran’s national railway network would enhance transit capacity, expand logistics cooperation and facilitate regional countries’ access to open waters.
She also welcomed the development of corridor-based ties and multilateral cooperation, emphasizing the need to capitalize on the two countries’ complementary capabilities to strengthen their positions in regional transport and transit networks.
Makhkamov, for his part, stressed the importance of expanding comprehensive transport cooperation with Iran and expressed Uzbekistan’s readiness to broaden engagement and implement joint programs in the sector.
He also highlighted existing road and rail cooperation between the two countries and called for continued consultations, follow-up on agreements and efforts to create the conditions for further expanding bilateral ties.